1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved apparatus and method for continuous rinsing with a minimum amount of boiling water and steam cleaning and substantial drying of flat or open width fabric material after the conventional preparation of, or dyeing or printing of, a mainly cellulosic or cellulosic blend cloth. More specifically, a series of innovative apparatus, i.e., roller rinsing devices, steam injector devices, and vacuum devices are employed in the steam chamber of the preceding preparation or dyeing or printing pad steam step.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art of interest describes various apparatus and modes of washing fabric materials. The related art will be discussed in the order of perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,160 issued on May 16, 1972, to Eric W. Stone et al. describes a method of processing solvent laden textile material, e.g., gray woven cotton cloth containing 100% by weight of trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane or mixtures thereof, for the removal of grease and wax, by passing the cloth through a steam chamber for 3 to 6 seconds for at least 90% removal of the organic solvent, and subsequently washing in a hot water bath for 8-15 seconds. The method is distinguishable by the differences in the rinsing apparatus and the lack of the steam drying step and apparatus as shown in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,672 issued on Oct. 9, 1973, to Erwin B. Bahnsen describes a continuous rinsing apparatus (syphon-surge rinser) for the application of a mist of gas and rinse liquid along a path normal to fabric articles containing solvent passing along a conveyor belt. Steam is applied from a plurality of manifolds through nozzles and through the passing fabric articles and the conveyor belt to be collected below by a plurality of collectors based on a gravity feed. The apparatus is distinguishable for its reliance only on the use of a series of steam ejectors directed downward on the passing articles and the condensing water being collected by gravity feed and not by a vacuum slot device and the use of a single rinsing roller device as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,140 issued on Jan. 8, 1980, to Yoshikazu Sando et al. describes an apparatus and method for cleaning a knitted tubular cloth. A series of hot water cleaning chambers are each immersed in a separate hot water collection tank. The cloth is fed into the collection tank and up to the top of the cleaning chamber to travel downward on a series of guide rolls having a series of guide rolls, wherein each guide roll having a draining washing dish. A hot water tank on top of the cleaning chamber adds more hot water on the passing cloth. Between each guide roll a fluttering and stretching roll is inserted. The tubular cloth enters the collection tank and traverses another series of rolls heated by steam jets. Steam jet pipes are also present above the collection tank. The cloth exits the collection tank and processed through squeezing rolls before passing into the next cleaning chamber. The apparatus and method are considered distinguishable for its reliance on a series of hot water cleaning chambers and water collection tanks utilizing a series of rolls and dishes as contrasted with the single rinsing roller of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,552 issued on Sep. 9, 1969, to Narakazu Okazaki describes a cloth rinsing apparatus employing 6 to 8 pairs of eccentric or wing-like rollers operating within concave segmented walls inside a vertical water tank. The cloth is fed from above to the bottom of the tank and traverses upward through the beating rollers to a pair of squeeze rollers above the tank. Fresh water jets are fed from below the squeeze rollers and a fresh water reservoir is maintained above to contact the passing cloth. A series of these rinsing tanks can be used. The apparatus is distinguishable for its reliance on beating rollers which are not present in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,802 issued on Apr. 20, 1976, to Gunter Schiffer et al. describes a process of continually washing a textile web in one or more closed pressurized vessels. The textile web is fed from the bottom of the vessel and up through two columns of guide rolls in a zig-zag manner. Each guide roll (except for the first and the last) has a perforated catch trough for the wash solution sprayed from the top of the vessel and drained out from the bottom. Steam or hot air inlet means are located at the top and bottom of the pressurized vessel at 100.degree. C. and above 1 atm. pressure. The apparatus is distinguishable for its reliance on multiple guide rolls and catch troughs for washing the traversing textile web.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,879 issued on Jan. 25, 1977, to Christian A. Meier-Windhorst et al. describes a process for the wet treatment of traveling textile webs by soaking the webs with liquids, applying chemicals and dyes, and washing and rinsing in one vessel. The web is fed from the bottom of the vessel into a bath with heating coils. The web passes upward in a zig-zag manner between three columns of rollers, wherein the left column of rollers being supported with liquid collection shells into which various treatment solutions are fed to overflow downward. The middle column of rollers can be either a pair of squeezing rollers or stripping rollers. The right column rollers are reversing rollers with or without baffles to drain the liquid downward. Superheated steam at 110-115.degree. C. is fed from the top of the vessel or recirculated by a compressor pump on top of the vessel. The apparatus is distinguishable by its requirement for multiple treatment rollers with dishes containing different liquids, an overflow tank and an exit tank containing chemicals or rinse water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,244 issued on Apr. 4, 1989, to Hideo Iwami describes a cloth washing machine having a group of water tanks arranged in a steaming chamber supplied with saturated steam at 100.degree. C. A series of guide rollers are arranged in two rows to conduct the cloth through a series of steam heated water tanks located underneath in a vertical zig-zag manner in order to alternately swell the cloth in steam, soak in water and exit through squeezing rollers. The passing cloth undergoes stretching and vibration forces applied in the machine. The apparatus is distinguishable for its alternate washing and steaming means as opposed to the single rotary rinser and double vacuum drying means of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,744 issued on Feb. 27, 1996, to Helmut Beckstein et al. describes a method and apparatus for washing a width of textile fabric by utilizing a steam injector with a slit nozzle on the top surface of the transported fabric and a slit nozzle suction device positioned either directly below on the bottom surface of the fabric or displaced ahead with larger slit nozzles. The slit nozzle suction device having a nozzle width three times the width of the steam injector (now spaced from the fabric) has no overlap with the steam injector nozzle. The amount of the washing liquid entering the system is controlled by a regulation device having a testing device. A partial vacuum of at least 0.2 bar is applied on the wet fabric. The steam pressure is applied at a pressure at least 0.2 bar above atmospheric pressure. The openings of the nozzles are adjustable for treating different materials such as a thin fabric or a heavy carpeting. The apparatus and method described do not suggest the addition of a second steam injector and vacuum device and the reversal of positions as shown in the present invention.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 38-19640 published on Sep. 26, 1963, for British Nylon Spinners, Ltd. describes a textile material treating apparatus housing three chambers consisting of a first chamber containing delivery and winding rolls, a second diffusion chamber, and a larger steam chamber containing five rollers for transporting the textile. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to a steam chamber.
Russian Patent Publication No. 197,708 published on Aug. 25, 1977, describes a continuous pressure scouring and setting process with the introduction and removal of additional water. Treatment temperatures of 115-128.degree. C. for a polyamide fabric and 135-145.degree. C. for a polyester fabric are described. The scouring process does not describe specific apparatus.
U.K. Patent Publication No. 2 075 073 published on Nov. 11, 1981, for Yoshikazu Sando et al. describes textured guide rolls used in a pressure steamer for preventing the ironing effect of textiles caused by conventional rolls. The textured guide roll is not required in the present invention to reduce the ironing effect.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a continuous fabric rinsing apparatus solving the aforementioned problems is desired.